Bird 110

Bird watching, and wildlife observation in general, always becomes about lists. How many of our fantastics beasts have you seen? Who have you missed? And who’s out there that you REALLY want to lay your eyes on? Listing can be a fun challenge, and a way to help conservation if you publish your findings on iNaturalist.

Bird listing is a common practice, especially on apps like iNat and eBird. Personally, I prefer INaturalist, since it allows me to track all of my sightings, including plant species. And, just like on eBird, you can track how many of a given type of animal you’ve seen there.

Van Cortlandt Park is probably the park I’ve spent more time in than any other, so its no surprise I’ve seen a lot of birds there. At long last, I’ve reach 110 total bird species documented. This number is significant, because like most humans I began life with 5 fingers on each hand, making numbers divisible by five more significant. But its still a fun, if arbitrary, milestone! And what was bird 110, you ask? The Swamp Sparrow.